After several contentious legislative sessions and a widening ideological divide within the Republican Party, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus stepped down leaving the chamber without a leader. Representative Dennis Bonnen, of Angleton --- which is 50 miles south of Houston --- announced this week he has the votes to win the position. Party Politics co-hosts Jay Aiyer and Brandon Rottinghaus discuss the importance of this change in leadership for the parties, politics, and policy in the upcoming legislative session.

NATIONAL TOPICS
-Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized
-Nancy Pelosi’s leadership fight
-CNN sues White House
-White House turnovers – First Lady Melania v. Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel
-Florida electoral recounts – what is the political impact?
-Trump refuses to visit WWI veterans memorial in France due to rain

TEXAS TOPICS
-State Board of Education curriculum leaves in Hillary Clinton and Helen Keller
-Senator John Cornyn announces he will run for reelection in 2020
-Texas Supreme Court Justice Phil Johnson retiring – who might Governor Abbott select to replace?
-Asylum policy change’s impact on Texas border
-State Senator Sylvia Garcia resigns– the upcoming race for Senate District 6
-Pre-File mania! Texas legislators rush to file bills in advance of the session

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